Al Sharpton Turns Down "DWTS," But Says He Would Have Won

"I'd blow them out," said the NYC activist

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The Reverend Al Sharpton (L) points to movie director Spike Lee (R) as he dances during a public memorial for pop star Michael Jackson on June 30, 2009 at the Apollo Theater in the Harlem section of New York. AFP PHOTO/Stan Honda (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images)

Next season's "Dancing With the Stars" cast can breathe a sigh of relief - Al Sharpton won't be challenging them on the show.

The animated New York City activist said his commitments to his non-profit work led him to turn down an offer by "Dancing with the Stars" for a third time, but that doesn't mean he can't handle a fox trot.

"Oh, I've got moves now," the 56-year-old told TMZ. "I'd blow them out. There would be no chance for anybody to touch me. But I just don't have the time."

Reverend Al would have been following the box steps of celebrities like Bristol Palin and the "Jersey Shore's" The Situation if he took up the hit ABC show's offer. The founder of civil rights group the National Action Network, however, wants to make it clear that just because he knows how to rock out doesn't mean he should.

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"I mean, I enjoyed doing 'Saturday Night Live' years ago -- I did my little James Brown thing -- but you have to have your priorities. I'm working very hard on National Action Network, our civil-rights work and our education stuff. And there's a difference in taking one night doing 'Saturday Night Live' and taking weeks doing 'Dancing With the Stars.' So I thought about it, but I took a pass."

If the Rev were to go on the dancing competition show, James Brown and Michael Jackson most likely would have been on his roster of tunes. The Harlem activist danced in front of audiences in tributes to both (and he's actually pretty good).